Known
as Lijiang Mural or
Baisha Mural, these
frescos, distributed in
the temples of such
towns as Baisha, Dayan,
Shuhe, Zhonghai, Yangxi
and Xuesong, were made
in succession from the
early Ming dynasty to
the reign of Emperor
Qianlong in the Qing
dynasty.

Due to the prosperous
economy in the Ming
dynasty, people of Naxi
minority began to
assimilate the culture
of other ethnic groups
and developed their own.
Lijiang mural is the
crystallization of such
efforts.

According to the survey
of He Zairui, a Naxi
artist, the six mural
paintings stored in the
Dajue Palace of Shuhe
are a reflection of both
Taoism and Buddhism.
Produced by a painter of
Han nationality, the
paintings vividly show
the variety of
characters. The frescos
of Dabaoji Palace in
Baisha are regarded as
the centerpiece of
Lijiang Mural. On twelve
well-preserved paintings
are statues from Taoism,
Buddhism, and the Mi
Sect of Lamaism. One of
the frescos is a great
painting of 100 icons,
in the middle of which
is Sakyamuni, on both
sides the statues from
Taoism and Buddhism, and
at the bottom three
Vajras from the Mi Sect
along with four
celestial kings. The
fresco is a
collaboration of artists
from Han and Tibet
nationalities and
entirely presents superb
artistic skills with
flowing lines,
well-defined colors and
good effects of depth
and solidity. The mural
paintings of Dading Hall
in Baisha were
originally finished in
the end of the Ming
dynasty and repaired
during the reign of
Qianlong Emperor of the
Qing dynasty. Each is an
embodiment of Statues
from Taoism, Buddhism
and such religious sects
as Zen and Mi. Different
form those in Dabaoji
Palace in proportion,
design,
color-harmonizing and
change, the frescos,
mainly produced by Naxi
painters, are not a
match of previously-made
mural paintings. What to
be treasured in the
Lijiang Mural is the
realistic style employed
by the artists of Han,
Tibet and Naxi, who took
subject matters from
daily life instead of
concentrating on
religion. The frescos
vividly reproduce the
scenes of daily life
such as dancing,
weaving, fishing,
felling trees, killing
pigs and etc. The mural
paintings also draw
statues of officers,
criminals, travelers and
so on, who are the
miniature of the social
life. Besides, such
subject matters as
running horses, peacocks
spreading feathers and
blooming flowers of
lotus, peony, camellia
and plum blossom are all
vivid and true to life.